The present invention relates to an insulation-displacement connecting piece able to be electrically connected to an adjacent connecting piece.
In the field of electrical connection apparatus, it is known practice to place electrical components, for example, junction blocks, next to each other, aligned. It is thus common to align a series of identical junction blocks on one and the same rail.
It is also known practice to interconnect electrical components such as junction blocks aligned next to each other. These electrical components generally comprise a host structure which may be formed by a female piece specifically designed to take a type of clip. Use is then made of a device called an interconnection comb which comprises several clips next to each other and electrically connected together. The comb is then plugged into the host structures for the aligned electrical components.
Where blocks for sensors/actuators are aligned on one and the same assembly rail, an interconnection has to be made between all the blocks in order to have a common electrical reference. There are therefore various solutions to ensure an electrical contact with an adjacent block.
One solution consists in providing each block on one face with a female connector and on its opposite lateral face with a male connector. Thus, by aligning the blocks next to each other, each male pin sits in a female connector, thus creating electrical continuity between the aligned blocks.
Another solution consists in assembling the various blocks on a base containing a rail which has been overmolded. An electrical connection with the overmolded rail is then provided at each block mounted on this base. A common potential is thus obtained for all of the aligned blocks.
These solutions of the prior art are all made with connections of the spring or screw type and are not designed for insulation-displacement connections.
However, application EP-0 109 297 has proposed an insulation-displacement connection block. Inside this block is placed a connecting piece which comprises a part in a profiled shape having a hollow rectangular section with two large faces and two small faces. One insulation-displacement slit for taking at least one wire is made along the two opposite small faces. Finally, the connecting piece has two lugs made in the extension of the two small faces and curved toward the inside of the polygonal part to allow the connection of a prong of an interconnection comb and a lug made in the extension of the large face and curved toward the small faces so as to define a space intended to take the prong of an interconnection comb.
Such a connecting piece does actually allow the use of an interconnection comb but has the drawback of having a structure which is complex and expensive to manufacture and of a relatively large size.
The need to have an insulation-displacement connecting piece which is of a smaller size and which has a low manufacturing cost is therefore apparent.
Thus, the object of the present invention is to provide an insulation-displacement connection terminal which can be easily connected to an adjacent connection terminal of the same type. This connection terminal will preferably be of minimal size.
For this purpose, the invention proposes an insulation-displacement connecting piece comprising a part in a profiled shape having a hollow polygonal section along which an insulation-displacement and retaining slit for at least one wire is made.
According to the invention, one face of the polygonal section is extended by a lug curved toward the connecting piece, leaving a space intended to take a prong of an interconnection comb between the curved lug and the connecting piece.
This solution means that it is possible to make a connecting piece which can be easily connected to an adjacent piece. Furthermore, it can be made with a small size while having a structure which is simple and easy to manufacture.
The face of the profile carrying the curved lug is preferably the face opposite to the insulation-displacement and retaining slit. However, it is possible to choose another face of the profile.
In a first embodiment, the lug is curved by about 90xc2x0 to face a section of the profile. This is either the section of the profile through which a wire to be connected is introduced, or the section opposite thereto. In order not to interfere with the introduction of the wire, the lug is chosen to be placed on the side opposite the side intended for the introduction of the wire. However, if a lower height is required, the other solution may be adopted.
To encourage a better electrical contact and to guarantee that there is an area of contact between an interconnection device and the connecting piece, the faces of the profile not carrying the edges of the insulation-displacement and retaining slit and not carrying the curved lug have, for example, a recess on the side by the curved lug. The contact is then made at the faces of the connecting piece carrying the edges of the insulation-displacement and retaining slit.
In another embodiment, the lug is, for example, curved by about 180xc2x0 to face the face of the profile which carries it.
To encourage a better electrical contact, the curved lug advantageously has, close to its free end, a boss projecting toward the connecting piece.
To encourage the introduction of a prong of an interconnection comb between the curved lug and the connecting piece, the free end of the curved lug is advantageously inclined with respect to the general direction of the lug and away from the connecting piece.
The present invention also relates to a connecting device for at least one wire, comprising a conducting connecting piece with an insulation-displacement and retaining slit and an insulating casing having a housing in which the conducting connecting piece is immobilized, and provided, on the one hand, with a substantially parallel oblong opening situated facing the slit and, on the other hand, with an opening which is possibly coincident with the oblong opening, intended for the passage of a prong of an interconnection comb, wherein the conducting connecting piece is a connecting piece as described above.
In this connecting device, the casing additionally comprises, for example, an opening made in the extension of the profiled part of the connecting piece intended for the passage of the end of an external tool designed to enable a wire to be introduced into the insulation-displacement and retaining slit. A connection can then be made using a tool as described, for example, in document EP-0 265 321.